Liquid-dispensing nozzle with automatic cutoff



Dec. 21, 1965 K. EHLERS 3,224,472

LIQUID-DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH AUTOMATIC CUTOFF AGENT Dec. 21, 1965 K. EHLERS 3,224,472

LIQUID-DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH AUTOMATIC GUTOFF Filed April 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F fz v d b- -o Np O \D I?, 9

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Dec. 21, 1965 K. EHLERS 3,224,472

LIQUID-DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH AUTOMATIC CUTOFF Filed April 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheva?. 5

KARLHE/NZ EHL ERS INVENTOR BY Cyp" 61 AGENT United States vPatent O 3,224,472 LIQUID-DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH AUTOMATIC CUTOFF Karlheinz Ehlers, Kanzleistrasse 55, Hamburg, Germany Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,895 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 19, 1962,

14 Claims. (ci. 141-209) My present invention relates to a nozzle with automatic cutoff used in the filling of receptacles with liquid from a suitable dispenser having a so-called nondraining hose, e.g. as conventionally employed in the dispensing of metered quantities of gasoline or the like to the fuel 'tanks of automotive vehicles.

ing position as soon as an air channel com municating with the piston chamber, terminating at the free end of a spigot forming part of the nozzle, is blocked by the rising liquid in the tank or filling tube into which the spigot has been inserted. The other side of the piston or membrane is conventionally exposed to the atmosphere, with the result that certain atmospheric conditions (eg. gusts of wind) may create momentary pressure differentials which prematurely restore the nozzle to its blocked state or, conversely, prevent its timely restoration. Another impediment to reliable operation of known nozzles lies in the relatively cumbersome linkage between its pressuresensitive membrane and the releasable detent mechanism for the valve-operating handle.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide an improved nozzle of the character referred to in which the abovementioned impediments to reliable operation are eliminated.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a nozzle of this type wherein, in operation, the entire valve-actuating mechanism with the exception of its external control means is submerged in the liquid to be dispensed, this submersion insuring lubrication of the parts and inhibiting the accumulation of dust and dirt.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic cutoff device for such nozzles whose sensitivity and operational reliability are substantially independent of the rate of liquid flow through the nozzle so that variations in that rate, due either to different settings of the control handle or to extraneous factors (eg. sluggish or erratic operation of an associated fuel pump), do not affect its functioning.

These objects are realized, in a system according to my present invention, by the provision of a nozzle whose tubular housing forms a guide path for two slidably, preferably telescopically, interconnected valve-control members in its interior and further forms a space separated from that interior to accommodate a piston such as a flexible membrane, one part of this space (advantageously adjacent the outer surface of the membrane) communicating with the aforementioned air channel of the associated spigot, the same part of this space also communicating via a low-pressure passage with a point along `the path of liquid flow through the housing so that suc- 3,224,472 Patentedl Dec. 21, 1965 ICC engaged with cooperating formations on the two relatively movable valve-control members is moved out of engagement with at least one of these members which previously had been displaced by the operating handle against the force of a restoring spring to unblock a valve seat in the housing. With one of the members linked to the handle and the other one carrying the valve body, the decoupling of the members from each other permits the restoring spring to reclose the valve.

In a preferred embodiment the space of the piston chamber adjacent the outer surface of the deformable membrane communicates with a passage which opens into t-he interior of the housing at a location close to the valve seat at which the housing is internally constricted; from a more forward location, where the housing diverges internally to form a region of enlarged effective cross-sectional area and consequently retarded liquid flow, a pressure-relief or bleeder passage defined by the two relatively displaceable valve-control members extends to the opposite space of the valve chamber, i.e. the one adjoining the inner surface of the membrane, to create therein a partial vacuum due again to the Pitot effect, this partial vacuum being weaker (owing to the difference in flow rate) than the suction exerted upon the outside of the membrane at cutoff. By this means the membrane is drawn inwardly, i.e. into a position in which the two valve-control members are held latched, thus guarding against accidental decoupling thereof, until the overriding suction created in the first-mentioned low-pressure passage displaces the membrane outwardly to permit reclosure of the valve.

Advantageously, in a nozzle of the construction just described, the valve body is slidably carried on its supporting member and urged against its seat by a relatively weak spring at all times, thus also when the supporting member is drawn forwardly by the control handle to unblock the flow, so that the separation between valve body and Valve seat will depend on the fiuid pressure from the hose connected to the rear end of the nozzle housing; the pressure-relief passage leading via the telescoped valve-control members to the underside of the membrane has an inlet in a clearance formed between the valve body and its supporting member, the width of the clearance thus changing inversely with fluid-delivery pressure if the pump feeding the hose should operate at least than its normal capacity (owing, for example, to a clogged ilter). With normal delivery, the force of the weak valve-loading spring will be overcome so that the aforementioned clearance is reduced to a predetermined minimum maintained by suitable spacers. With such an arrangement, and with the interior of the nozzle housing diverging in forward direction from the valve seat, suction will be applied to the two low-pressure passages on opposite sides of the membrane in a ratio which can be made substantially independent of the ow rate as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

An added advantage of the presence of the aforedescribed pressure-relief passage is its ability to transmit to the piston or membrane a valve-closing impulse in the event of a-sudden pressure surge in the supply line, as may occur if, for example, a plurality of nozzles and hoses are connected to a common pump and all but one of these nozzles are cut off at the same time. The sudden inrush of liquid could flood the receptacle fed by the remaining nozzle, yet the outward displacement of the membrane caused by the sharp pressure increase shuts ofi the supply before any overflowing can occur. For this purpose it -is desirable to maintain the pressure-relief passage and the adjoining space of the membrane chamber always filled with liquid, this being readily possible with suitable restriction of the width of this passage at one or more locations.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in axial section, a nozzle embodying my invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 -and 4 are sectional views taken on lines Il-IL III-III and IV-IV, respectively, of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. l, showing the nozzle in operated position.

The nozzle illustrated in the drawing comprises a tubular valve housing 1 to whose front end a spigot 2 is threadedly secured; the rear end of housing 1 has screwed into it a nipple 5 with threads 38 by which it can be attached to a nondraining hose 39 of a, conventional fuel Vpump not shown. Nipple 5 forms a valve seat 3 normally engaged by a valve body 4 which, in the specific embodiment shown in the d-rawing, is of frustoconical configuration; other, e.g. disk-shaped, types of valves may also be used. v

A pistol-grip handle 6 is pivotally attached to the exterior of housing 1 by a lever 15, rigid therewith, which is fulcrumed in the lower housing wall by a pair of pins 14a, 14b. This housing wall has a bore 40 through which the lever 15 passes and which is sealed against the outside by a fluid-tight plug 18 of fuel-resistant rubber or other elastomeric material; plug 18 is held in place by a split ring 19 seated in an annular groove of the housing wall. As shown in FIG. 2, lever 15 is formed with two lateral arms 20a, 2Gb which are received in recesses 41a, 41b and through which the pins 14a, 14]) pass without traversing either the plug 18 or the main body of lever 15 embraced thereby, hence these elements need not be perforated. The upper end 15a of lever 15 is received in a slot 16 of a rod 37 extending axially within housing 1, the forward end of this rod also carrying a rod 17 forming an abutment for the lever end 15a.

Rod 37 constitutes the inner one of two telescoped valve-control members slidably but nonrotatably guided in the housing 1, the outer one of these members being a sleeve 7 which also has a slotted front end straddling the extremity 15a of lever 15. Sleeve 7 slidably supports the valve body 4 by means of a thimble 42 rigid with that sleeve, the valve body 4 having a forward extension 43 projecting into the bore of thimble 42 as well as a rearward extension 44 guided in a stationary bracket 45 having a vent 46. A relatively strong coil spring 8 surrounds the sleeve 7 and is confined under pressure between a flange 13 of thimble 42 and a shoulder 12 of housing 1; this flange has a rear face defining with the front face of valve body 4 a variable clearance 47, a minimum separation between these two faces being always positively maintained by spacers 48 on the ange 13. A coil spring 9 weaker than spring 8, is seated in thimble 42 and bears upon valve body 4 so as to urge the latter rearwardly with reference to sleeve 7 and onto the valve seat 3. An annular gasket is inserted between housing 1 and nipple 5 to prevent any leakage of fluid between the rear end of the nozzle and the hose 39. yThe front end of thimble 42 has an orice 49 through which the interior of the thimble communicates with an .annular channel 35 formed between the telescoped members 7 and 37- A further -compression spring 36, also weaker than spring 8, occupies the channel 35 and tends to maintain the members 7, `37 -in their normal relative position illustrated in FIG. 1.

A cylindrical bushing 11 is held in place within housing 1 by the nipple 5 `and has a forwardly diverging inner Vwall surface in the region surrounding the clearance 47 channel 27 terminating in a port S1 near the free end of the spigot. Another port 52 in the opposite end of the spigot connects channel 27 with an annular recess 53 in the front end of nozzle housing 1 from which a passage 54 leads to the upper compartment 31' of a piston chamber whose lower compartment 31" is separated therefrom by a piston means here constituted as a flexible membrane 26. This membrane, which could be held in position within its chamber in a variety of ways (as, for example, by being formed with a peripheral bead received in an annular groove of the chamber wall), is here shown clamped between 'an annular shoulder 55 and a cap 32 screwed into the upper compartment 31. An annular gasket 34 forms a huid-tight seal between the cap 32 and the .adjoining part of housing 1.

A bolt 33, extending radially of the nozzle housing, centrally traverses the membrane 26 which is seen to lie parallel to the housing axis. Bolt 33 is secured to the membrane in air-tight manner by a nut 56 and a pair of washers 57, 58; the head of this bolt supports a cage 23 of the latch means which is of inverted U-shape as best seen in FIG. 3, so that the latter is limitedly rotatable thereon .and also has some play in the direction of the bolt axis. This relative mobility avoids objectionable deformation of the membrane land insures that the cage 23 is freely displaceable in radial direction of the housing, without binding or jamming, in a rectangular lateral aperture 59 of a boss 60 which supports a similarly apertured cylindrical liner 61 forming a guideway for the axially displaceable sleeve 7,

The cage 23 is provided, at the lower ends of its two sides, with a pair of slots 25 which extend in longitudinal direction of the telescoped members 7, 37 and accommodate a pair of latch yrollers or pins 24 constituting the axially displaceable elements of the :latch means for releasably coupling these members together. Sleeve 7 and rod 37 are provided with formations such as lateral recesses 21 and 22, respectively, which are normally aligned to receive the rollers 24, the longitudinal extent of these recesses being substantially less than that of the slots 25 whereby the assembly 7, 37, is axially displaceable from the valve-closing position of FIG. 2 to the wideopen position of FIG. 5 in which they can be releasably held by a catch 62 on handle 6 engaging an indexing stud 63. The assembly can also be indexed in an intermediate position, in which liquid can ow at a reduced rate past the valve 4, by the interengagement between catch 62 and another stud 64. A coil spring 30 in a recess of cap 32 bears upon membrane 26 to urge it inwardly under light pressure, thereby tending to maintain the rollers 24 engaged in both recesses 21, 22. The membrane can ex outwardly only so far that the rollers .are lifted out of the inner recess 22 on rod 37.

Cap 32 is provided with two peripheral ports 65, 66 of which the former communicates with the test passage 54 connected with air channel 27 whereas the latter leads to a bore 28 forming part of a low-pressure connection between the .space 31' above the membrane and the valve seat 3. The latter connection includes a peripheral passage 28a between bushing 11 and the adjoining housing wall as well as a radial passage 29 between that nozzle and the nipple 5. A further low-pressure passage interconnects the space 31" below the membrane 26 and the diverging internal region of the nozzle just forwardly of the valve seat, this passage including the clearance 47, the orifice 49, the channel 35, the recess 21 in sleeve 7 and the aperture 59 of boss 60. The last-mentioned passage, serving to relieve the pressure below the membrane, is always filled with liquid from the supply hose 39; it will be noted that the path between space 31 and channel 35 is substantially interrupted by the cage 24 in ape-rture 59 when the cage rests in its bottom position illustrated in FIGS. l and 3.

The operation of my improved liquid-dispensing nozzle is as follows:

In the cutoff position shown in FIGS. 1-4, spring 8 is expanded to press the valve body 4 against its seat 3 through the intermediary of sleeve 7. The sleeve and its companion rod 37 are in their normal relative position in which their recesses 21, 22 register with each other and are interlinked by the latch rollers 24, the membrane 26 being deflected downwardly by its biasing spring 30. Test passage 27, 54 is open to the atmosphere and no suction is developed at the inlets 47, 29 to the upper and lower membrane compartments 31', 31" since no liquid flows past the valve 4.

When it is desired to use the nozzle for dispensing fuel from a metering pump to the tank of a vehicle, the lifting of the nozzle from its holder on the pump housing actuates the pump motor in the conventional manner so that pressure is built up in the Supply hose 39 which is always lled with liquid. After the forward end of spigot 2 has been inserted into the gooseneck of the tank, the operator pulls the handle 6 to swing it counterclockwise about its fulcrum 14a, 14h into the rapid-feed position of FIG. 5, or into the slow-feed intermediate position in which the detent 62 hooks onto the stud 64. The telescoped members 7, 37 with their latch rollers 24 are thereby displaced fully or partly to the left, within the limits of mobility afforded by the slot 25 of cage 23, so that flange 13 is retracted from the Valve seat 3 and allows the valve body 4 to follow suit under the pressure of the oncoming liquid. Should the pump pressure fail for any reason, spring 9 would continue to hold the valve 4 closed so that the liquid in hose 39 cannot drain out.

As the liquid rushes past the inlets 47 and 29 of the two low-pressure passages leading toward the membrane 26, suction is created at these inlets by the Pitot effect. The suction applied to low-pressure passage 28, 28a, 29 and through it via port 66 to compartment 31 remains ineffectual as long as the port 51 of spigot 2 is obstructed by liquid in the gooseneck of the tank. The suction prevailing in the bleeder passage 35, 49, 47 assists the spring in tending to maintain the cage 23 in its bottom position in which the sleeve 7 and the rod 37 are positively coupled together via latch rollers 24. This condition persists until the liquid level reaches the port 51 to disconnect air channel 27 and test passage 54 from the atmosphere. The suction in passage 28, 28a, 29 thereupon draws the membrane 26 outwardly, this suction being strong enough to override both the pressure of spring 30 and the partial vacuum in passage 35, 49, 47 in View of the fact that the rate of liquid ow past the inlet 47 of the latter passage is considerably less than that at the valve seat 3, i.e. at the inlet 29 communicating with compartment 31', by reason of the difference in effective crosssectional area of the flow path at these two locations. The rollers 24 are thereby lifted out of the recess 22 of rod 37 so that the sleeve 7 is now released from the restraining action of lever 15 and handle 6, being thus free to return to its normal position under the urging of its restoring spring 8. It should be noted that this return stroke is cushioned by the spring 36 which is now compressed to bias the handle 6 in a clockwise sense so that the latter will return to its original position (FIG. l) when the catch 62 is released from its indexing stud 63 or 64. With the closure of valve 4 upon the restoration of sleeve 7 to normal, the flow of liquid through the nozzle housing 1, 2 is stopped and the suction in chamber 31', 31 ceases. Spring 30 returns the membrane 26 to its previous state as soon as the linkage 6, 15, 37 has been reset by the operator, the rollers 24 thereupon again latching the members 7 and 37 to each other.

The following operating conditions may be distinguished.

Case 1.-Handle in rapid-feed position, supply pump operating at full capacity The system is now in the position shown in FIG. 5, with the rollers 24 at the left-hand ends of slots 25 and the valve body 4 at its greatest distance from its seat 3. Because of this large separation between valve body and 6 valve seat, the uid velocity at the inlet 29 is moderate but greater than in the region of clearance 47 which is at its minimum value determined by the spacers 48. A definite differential between the suction forces above and below membrane 26 is thereby insured.

Case [L -Handle in slow-feed position, supply pump operating at full capacity Now the annular gap between valve body 4 and valve seat 3 has been reduced as the sleeve 7 with its flange 13 occupies a position intermediate those of FIGS. 1 and 5. Since the pump pressure is still the same as in the previous case, the rate of liquid ilow through this gap is increased, as is the suction effect in compartment 31 after the blocking of port 51. The suction acting upon the underside of membrane 26 is also increased, to a proportionately greater extent because the clearance 47 now opens into a region of reduced cross-sectional area aS compared with Case I, so that the pressure differential across the membrane 26 is of the same order as before and with suitable design of the curvature of bushing 11 may be equal or nearly equal to that previously considered.

Case lll.-Handle in rapid-feed position, supply pump operating at reduced rate The assembly 6, 15, 7, 37, 24 is again in the position of FIG. 5. Valve body 4, however, is in a position intermediate those of FIGS. 1 and 5 inasmuch as the fluid pressure is assumed to be incapable of fully overcoming the bias of spring 9. Though the gap between valve 4 and seat 3 may be the same as in Case II, the flow rate through the gap has now decreased. At the location of the rear face of flange 13, Whose position is the same as in Case I, the flow velocity has dropped off more sharply than at the valve seat so that the suction applied to the underside of membrane 26 would decrease to a much greater extent than the suction applied to inlet 29, were it not for the fact that the clearance 47 between flange 13 and valve body 4 has now been widened to intensify the Pitot effect. Again, therefore, the pressure differential across the membrane may be substantially the same as in the other situations considered.

If a sudden rush of liquid should develop at the valve 4, e.g. if under the conditions last described the supply pump should abruptly return to its normal delivery rate, the resulting pressure surge in passage 35, 49, 47 would tend to deflect the membrane 26 upwardly to decouple the members 7 and 37 from each other so as to close the Valve, thereby preventing any possible flooding of the tank receiving the discharge from spigot 2.

It will thus be seen that I have disclosed a nozzle that is characterized by reliable operation under a variety of normal and abnormal circumstances, yet it is to be understood that modifications of the specific arrangement described and illustrated are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A nozzle with .automatic cutoff for dispensing liquid from a nondraining hose, comprising a tubular housing with an open front end and with an open Irear end connectable to said hose;

an elongated spigot secured to said front end, said spigot having a relatively wide filling channel communicating with the interior of said housing and a relatively narrow air channel extending from a location within said housing to a port yopening into the atmosphere near the free end of said spigot;

pressure-sensitive piston means in a space of said housing separated from said interior;

a valve body axially movable in said interior, said housing being provided near its rear end with a constriction forming a valve seat;

a pair of slidably interconnected control members axially movable in said housing with freedom of limited relative displacement in an .axial direction, -one of said members bearing said valve body;

first spring means in said housing bearing upon said one of said members for urging said valve body against said seat, thereby blocking the flow of liquid through said housing; a handle externally mounted on said housing, said handle being provided with `an extension projecting into said housing, the other of said members being linked with said extension for forward displacement away from said valve seat upon movement of said handle from a normal position to an off-normal position;

-second spring means weaker than said first spring means bearing upon said members for tending to maintain them in a predetermined relative position;

and latch means in said housing limitedly displaceable in axial direction of said housing, said latch means being simultaneously engageable with cooperating formations on both said members in said predetermined relative position thereof whereby movement of said handle into said off-normal position forces said one of said members away from said valve sea-t and enables the flow of liquid from said hose to said spigot, said housing being formed with a rst passage extending from said air channel of Vsaid spigot to a part of said space on one side of said piston means, said housing being further formed with a second passage extending from said part of said space to a point along the flow path of said liquid through said interior whereby suction due to said flow becomes effective upon 4the blocking of said port to displace said piston means, said latch means being linked with said piston means for disengagement from at least one of said formations upon suction-induced displacement of said piston means, thereby enabling said first spring means to restore said one of said members to flow-blocking position, said latch means comprising a slotted cage and roller means movable in slots of said cage in axial direction of said housing, said roller means being engageable with said formations, said cage being secured to said membrane with freedom of limited relative mobility.

2. A nozzle .as defined in claim 1 wherein said piston means .comprises a deformable membrane.

3. a nozzle as defined in claim 2, further comprising additional spring means in said .housing resisting deformation of said membrane by said suction.

4. A nozzle Vas defined in claim 1 wherein said one of said members is a sleeve and said other of said members is a rod telescopically received in said sleeve, said formations bei-ng a first lateral recess in said sleeve `and a second lateral recess in said `rod registering with said first lateral recess in said predetermined relative position, said roller means normally occupying both said recesses and being withdrawa'ble only from said second recess upon suctioninduced displacement of said membrane.

5. A nozzle as defined in claim 1 wherein said point along the flow path of said liquid is located close to said valve seat, said members defining a restricted third passage extending frorn a part of said space on the other side of said piston means to another point along said flow path for subjecting said piston means to a partial vacuum weaker than said suction, thereby urging said coupling means into engagement with said formations in the unblocked condition of said port.

6. A nozzle as defined in claim 5 wherein said housing diverges internally just ahead of said constriction, thereby forming a region of enlarged effective cross-sectional area and retarded flow forwardly of said valve seat, said third passage. communicating with the interior of said housing in said region of retarded flow whereby said third passage will transmit to said space a suction always smaller Ithan that transmitted to said space via said second passage upon a block-ing of said port.

axially slidable on said one of said members for engaging said valve seat under the urging of sa-id third spring means in the absence of a predetermined minimum iiuid pressure from said hose.

8. A nozzle as defined in claim 7 wherein said one of said members has a transverse rear face forming with said valve body a variable clearance, said third passage opening into the interior of said housing by way of said clearance.

9. A nozzle as defined in claim 1 wherein said other of said members is la rod with a slotted front end, said extension comprising a lever pivoted in a wall of said housing and received in said slotted front end, said lever being fulcrumed in said wall, said nozzle further comprising a resilient ring forming a fluid-tight seal about said lever in the region of its fulcrum, said handle being provided with indexing means for releasably retaining it in any of a plurality of different off-normal positions.

10. A nozzle as defined in claim 9 wherein said one of said members is a sleeve telescopically receiving said rod, said formations being a first lateral recess in said sleeve and a second lateral recess in said rod registering with said first lateral recess in said predetermined relative position, sa-idslatch means including at least one pin permanently lodged in said first recess and receivable in said second recess in said predetermined relative position.

11. A nozzle with automatic cutoff for dispensing liquid from a nondraining hose, comprising a tubular housing with an open front end and with an open rear end connectable to said hose;

an elongated spigot secured to said front end, said spigot having a relatively wide filling channel communi- -cating with the interior of `said housing and a relatively narrow air channel extend-ing from a location within said housing to a port opening into the atmosphere near the free end of said spigot;

a flexible membrane extending substantially parallel to the axis of said housing in a space of said housing separated from said interior;

a valve body axially movable in said interior, said housing being provided near its rear end with a constriction forming -a vave seat;

a pair of telescopically interconnected control members axially movable in said housing with freedom of limited relative displacement in axial direction, the outer one of said members bearing said valve body;

first spring means in said housing bearing upon said outer one ot said members for urging said valve body against said seat, thereby blocking the fiow of liquid through said housing; a handle externally mounted on said housing, said handle being provided with an extension projecting into said housing, the inner one of said members being linked with said extension for forward displacement away from said valve seat upon movement of said handle for a normal position to an off-normal position;

second spring means weaker than said first spring means bearing upon said members for tending to maintain them in a predetermined relative position, said housmg forming a guideway for said outer one of said members connected with said space via a lateral aperture;

a radially movable carrier in said aperture; latch means on saidcarrier limitedly displaceable in axial direction of said housing, said members having peripheral recesses aligned with each other for simultaneous engagernent by said latch means 'in said predetermined Irelative position thereof whereby movement of said handle into said off-normal position forces said outer one of sald members away from said valve seat and en ables the flow of liquid from said hose to said Splgot, .Sald Ahousing being formed with a first passage extending from said air channel of said spigot to a part of said space adjacent the outer surface of said membrane, said housing lbeing further formed with a `second passage extending from said part of said space to a point along the ow path of said liquid through said interior whereby outwardly directed suction due to said flow becomes effective upon the blocking of lsaid port to displace said membrane, said carrier being linked with said membrane for disengagement of said latch means from at least one of said recesses upon suction-induced outward displacement of said membrane, thereby enabling said first spring means Ato restore said outer one of said members to flow-block ing position;

and means including said members in said housing forming a restricted third passage extending from a part of said space adjacent the inner surface of said membrane to another part of said flow path for subjecting said membrane :to inwardly ldirected suction weaker than said outwardly directed suction.

12. A nozzle as defined in claim 11 where-in said outer one of said members has a transverse rear face, said Valve body being slidably secured to said outer one of said members beyond said rear face and forming therewith a variable clearance, said third passage communicating with the linterior of said housing by way of said clearance; further comprising spacer means between said face and said valve body for maintaining said clearance, and third spring means weaker than said rst spring means anchored to said outer one of said members and to said valve body for urging the latter against said valve seat.

13. A nozzle as deiined in claim 11 wherein said membrane is provided with resilient means biasing it into a position in which said latch means engages in both said recesses.

14. A nozzle as defined -in claim 11 wherein said third passage includes said aperture, said carrier substantially blocking said aperture and thereby said third passage in a position in which said latch means fully engages in both said recesses.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,622,782 12/1952 Giger 141-209 2,841,191 7/1958 Fraser 141-209 3,101,101 8/1963 Gearhart et al, 141-209 XR 3,101,102 8/1963 Gearhart et al. 141-209 3,152,623 10/1964 Carriol 141-209 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A NOZZLE WITH AUTOMATIC CUTOFF FOR DISPENSING LIQUID FROM A NONDRAINING HOSE, COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING WITH AN OPEN FRONT END AND WITH AN OPEN REAR END CONNECTABLE TO SAID HOSE; AN ELONGATED SPIGOT SECURED TO SAID FRONT END, SAID SPIGOT HAVING A RELATIVELY WIDE FILLING CHANNEL COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING AND A RELATIVELY NARROW AIR CHANNEL EXTENDING FROM A LOCATION WITHIN SAID HOUSING TO A PORT OPENING INTO THE ATMOSPHERE NEAR THE FREE END OF SAID SPIGOT; PRESSURE-SENSITIVE PISTON MEANS IN A SPACE OF SAID HOUSING SEPARATED FROM SAID INTERIOR; A VALVE BODY AXIALLY MOVABLE IN SAID INTERIOR, SAID HOUSING BEING PROVIDED NEAR ITS REAR END WITH A CONSTRICTION FORMING A VALVE SEAT; A PAIR OF SLIDABLY INTERCONNECTED CONTROL MEMBERS AXIALLY MOVABLE IN SAID HOUSING WITH FREEDOM OF LIMITED RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS BEARING SAID VALVE BODY; FIRST SPRING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING BEARING UPON SAID ONE OF SAID MEMBERS FOR URGING SAID VALVE BODY AGAINST SAID SEAT, THEREBY BLOCKING THE FLOW OF LIQUID THROUGH SAID HOUSING; A HANDLE EXTERNALLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING, SAID HANDLE BEING PROVIDED WITH AN EXTENSION PROJECTING INTO SAID HOUSING, THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS BEING LINKED WITH SAID EXTENSION FOR FORWARD DISPLACEMENT AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE FROM A NORMAL POSITION TO AN OFF-NORMAL POSITION; SECOND SPRING MEANS WEAKER THAN SAID FIRST SPRING MEANS BEARING UPON SAID MEMBERS FOR TENDING TO MAINTAIN THEM IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIVE POSITION; AND LATCH MEANS IN SAID HOUSING LIMITEDLY DISPLACEABLE IN AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAID HOUSING, SAID LATCH MEANS BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY ENGAGEABLE WITH COOPERATING FORMATIONS ON BOTH SAID MEMBERS IN SAID PREDETERMINED RELATIVE POSITION THEREOF WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE INTO SAID OFF-NORMAL POSITION FORCES SAID ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT AND ENABLES THE FLOW OF LIQUID FROM SAID HOSE TO SAID SPIGOT, SAID HOUSING BEING FORMED WITH A FIRST PASSAGE EXTENDING FROM SAID AIR CHANNEL OF SAID SPIGOT TO A PART OF SAID SPACE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID PISTON MEANS, SAID HOUSING BEING FURTHER FORMED WITH A SECOND PASSAGE EXTENDING FROM SAID PART OF SAID SPACE TO A POINT ALONG THE FLOW PATH OF SAID LIQUID THROUGH SAID INTERIOR WHEREBY SUCTION DUE TO SAID FLOW BECOMES EFFECTIVE UPON THE BLOCKING OF SAID PORT TO DISPLACE SAID PISTON MEANS, SAID LATCH MEANS BEING LINKED WITH SAID PISTON MEANS FOR DISENGAGEMENT FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FORMATIONS UPON SUCTION-INDUCED DISPLACEMENT OF SAID PISTON MEANS, THEREBY ENABLING SAID FIRST SPRING MEANS TO RESTORE SAID ONE OF SAID MEMBERS TO FLOW-BLOCKING POSITION, SAID LATCH MEANS COMPRISING A SLOTTED CAGE AND ROLLER MEANS MOVABLE IN SLOTS OF SAID CAGE IN AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAID HOUSING, SAID ROLLER MEANS BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FORMATIONS, SAID CAGE BEING SECURED TO SAID MEMBRANE WITH FREEDOM OF LIMITED RELATIVE MOBILITY. 